Chapter 245: The Tyranny of the Yushu Jiange

Within the fragment of the blessed land, Ye Guyue's expression was grim; she scanned the surroundings, recalled her prior ordeals, and couldn't help but grit her silver teeth, her eyes brimming with fury:

"Demon!"

Since entering the blessed land, she had been plagued by misfortune.

First, during the struggle for the 【Yinlong Water】, she was driven off by Lu Yang and Chongying working together, forced to deploy her last resort to escape alive, suffering serious injuries.

Then, after finally recovering from her injuries, she barely gathered a few spiritual materials from the blessed land, only to be driven to its center by Chongguang due to the land's collapse, stripped of nearly all her merit and fortune, powerless to resist—clearly, her heart was choked with bitterness.

Even more unbearable was that she could not vent her rage.

Thinking of this, Ye Guyue swiftly formed a hand seal, exerting all her strength to stabilize her mind: "Calm. Do not stir unprovoked fire; calamitous qi pollutes the spirit platform. My heart is steel."

With secret techniques suppressing her emotions, Ye Guyue maintained her composure.

Yet while she could suppress it, the other two who had fallen into this fragment of the blessed land were already deeply ensnared by calamitous qi, unable to remain composed.

The next instant, two fleeing lights shot toward them.

One radiated divine radiance, reinforced by Buddhist light; its form resolved into none other than Duobao Tongzi, who had survived the Great War of Qing State.

This man, indeed, possessed some fortune.

Of the entire Qing State, only he and the True Person of Five Elements were natives of Jiangbei; yet the True Person of Five Elements had devoted himself to Jiangdong and long ago received an official title.

He was then sacrificed by Chongguang.

But Duobao, having pledged allegiance to the Pure Land and bearing no official rank, had narrowly survived the great sacrifice—and even ventured into the 【Dongyang Blessed Land】.

And the title "Duobao" was indeed fitting: relying on his ancestral treasure-seeking art, he had actually seized a great opportunity.

At the time, the four spiritual embryos in the blessed land: Lu Yang claimed the 【Yinlong Water】; the remaining three were taken by Dao Court and Pure Land disciples. Had Ye Guyue not been injured, the fourth would have been the Yushu Jiange's for the taking—but since she vanished, it fell into his hands instead.

Yet as the saying goes: the common man bears no guilt, yet possessing jade invites death.

Behind Duobao Tongzi, the second fleeing light arrived swiftly, brimming with sword qi; from it stepped a solemn middle-aged man.

"Friend Duobao, will you not awaken?"

"Yun Zhiqiu!" Duobao Tongzi clenched his teeth, spitting hatred: "I am now a righteous cultivator—does the Yushu Jiange intend to seize this by force?"

"You are no righteous cultivator!"

The middle-aged man, Yun Zhiqiu, laughed aloud: "You are a Jiangbei demonic cultivator. Turning from darkness to light is merely the beginning—you still owe countless karmic debts!"

"What karmic debts?" Duobao Tongzi laughed bitterly: "My Fenshao Cliff was in Jiangbei; I never sacrificed living beings. As for sect battles, death is commonplace—everyone relies on their own strength. What karmic debts? Before coming to Qing State, I had abundant merit!"

"Your greatest karmic debt is your Jiangbei origins!"

Yun Zhiqiu sneered coldly: "Heavenly treasures belong to those with virtue. Do you, a Jiangbei demonic cultivator, deserve them? I have no patience for further words—give me the spiritual embryo!"

"You—"

In an instant, Duobao Tongzi's malice surged, his rage ignited. Though Yun Zhiqiu was formidable, he relied entirely on his sharp sword.

In actual combat, he was merely Foundation Establishment early stage.

Suppressing him with his own cultivation would be effortless—he had merely feared Yun Zhiqiu's Yushu Jiange affiliation and dared not act. Now, no such restraint remained.

"Clang! Clang!"

The next instant, a sword's cry shattered Duobao Tongzi's murderous intent; he turned to see Ye Guyue soaring toward him, her sword hovering above his head.

'Done for!'

In an instant, Duobao Tongzi's heart turned icy; yet he dared not show the slightest disrespect, hastily bowing: "Duobao bows before Yushu Jiange's Immortal Ye."

On the other side, Yun Zhiqiu beamed with joy: "Greetings, Elder Sister Ye!"

Immediately, he pointed at Duobao Tongzi, speaking with righteous indignation: "This man took the 【Bao Lao Chun】! I beg Elder Sister to uphold justice!"

Ye Guyue glanced at Duobao Tongzi, pinched her fingers in calculation, and instantly grasped the full story; she spoke gravely: "Since we are all righteous cultivators, internal strife is unacceptable. We are now trapped in this blessed land fragment—likely the work of a demon. We must unite against the enemy; how can we turn against each other?"

Her words rang with lofty righteousness.

Duobao Tongzi exhaled in relief, thinking the Yushu Jiange still valued reason—until the next instant, Ye Guyue turned her gaze upon him:

"Friend Duobao, hand over the 【Bao Lao Chun】."

Ye Guyue's expression was solemn: "Younger Brother Yun is only Foundation Establishment early stage and lacks a spiritual material for protection. You are Foundation Establishment mid-stage—you do not need this one material."

Who the hell doesn't need it?!

Duobao Tongzi fell silent for a moment, then muttered: "To be honest, I lost most of my treasures in Qing State—I need this spiritual material for protection."

Ye Guyue shook her head: "Friend Duobao, forgive my frankness: since you have turned to the righteous path, you must understand cause and effect. You are but a minor sect disciple with humble origins. Younger Brother Yun is a Yushu Jiange cultivator—who matters more, you must know."

"Without this material, you are merely a minor sect cultivator—die, and you die."

"Without this material, Younger Brother Yun may die. One Yushu Jiange cultivator's death is a great loss to the righteous path."

"Therefore, for the sake of the righteous path, for the sake of all sentient beings, do not cling to it."

"If you resent this, I may grant you a boon: if you die because of this, you may be reborn and enter the Yushu Jiange to cultivate—this too is a great opportunity."

At these words, Duobao Tongzi fell silent again.

"What? Do you still cling to delusion?"

Ye Guyue's delicate brows furrowed, her beautiful eyes showing displeasure: "Will you, for selfish gain, betray the righteous path and defy all heaven and earth?"

As her words ended, sword intent locked onto Duobao Tongzi.

". I dare not."

In that moment, Duobao Tongzi felt overwhelming grief and bitterness, involuntarily recalling how, in Jiangbei, he had been ambushed and robbed by a Saint Sect True Person.

Never did I imagine: before joining the righteous path, I was robbed; after joining, I am robbed again!

Was all my conversion meaningless?

And the Saint Sect True Person robbed me by strength—loser pays. But the Yushu Jiange is even more tyrannical: they rob you—and demand you willingly surrender!

Yet under someone else's roof, one must bow. Duobao Tongzi sighed, then withdrew a glowing bundle from his sleeve and tossed it out—it was the 【Bao Lao Chun】, formed of Jia Wood, usable in alchemy to enhance wood-affinity cultivation, or in artifact crafting to forge a spiritual treasure.

Ye Guyue nodded in satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Yun Zhiqiu rushed forward eagerly, tucked the 【Bao Lao Chun】 into his bosom, and joyfully infused it with magic power to refine it.

"This place is not suitable for a long stay."

Ye Guyue's gaze shifted as he continued to chant incantations and calculate, then pointed in a direction: "The exit should be there; we had best leave as soon as possible."

Soon, three streaks of escape light shot upward.

In a short while, a towering Dashan came into the group's view; on the mountain, array light swirled, firmly pinning down the fragment of the blessed land.

And at the mountain peak, a leisurely figure sat cross-legged, letting out a loud laugh:

"Immortal Ye, I have been waiting for you for a long time."

"It's you!?"

In an instant, Ye Guyue, who had been calm and composed, changed expression slightly; he clearly recognized Lu Yang on the mountain, and a sky-shattering killing intent erupted in his beautiful eyes!

(End of this chapter)